Leg of Lamb in Chile Sauce
Pierna de Cordero EnchiladaSlow-cooked meats braised in chile sauce is a traditional Mexican method of cooking to make meat so tender that it falls off the bone. You will need a large ovenproof casserole dish or roasting pan with a lid to hold the lamb rather snugly. Serve this with soft tortillas to soak up the juices. For a wonderful side dish with the lamb, serve Hominy, Corn, and Poblano Chiles.
Ingrediënten
Makes 6 servings
- 4 ancho chiles
- 2 medium tomatoes cored and chopped
- ½ medium white onion chopped
- 3 large garlic cloves thinly sliced
- 12 fresh epazote leaves or ½ teaspoon dried epazote
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano Mexican variety preferred, crumbled
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups canned fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 3- to 4-pound leg of lamb
- ½ teaspoon salt to taste
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructies
- In a dry skillet toast the chiles, turning until fragrant, about 20 seconds.
- Cut open the chiles and remove the seeds.
- Cut the chiles into pieces and put in a bowl of hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
- Drain and discard the water.
- Transfer chiles to a blender.
- Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, epazote, oregano, thyme, and 1 cup of the chicken broth.
- Blend as smooth as possible.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the chile mixture along with the remaining cup of broth.
- Cook the sauce, stirring, frequently, 5 minutes.
- Reserve in the pan off heat.
- Heat the oven to 325°.
- Trim all excess fat from the lamb.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Put the meat into a large casserole dish or roasting pan.
- Pour the sauce over the meat.
- Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and put on the lid.
- Braise in the oven 2½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is falling-apart tender, and easily pulls away from the bone.
- Serve chunks of meat and the sauce in shallow soup bowls.
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